Separable snap fastener



Sept. 7, 1954 M VAN PEE-g- 2,688,17

SEPARABLE SNAP FASTENER Filed Sept. 17, 1951 L 3 e@ /l a? 7 7 /o s i; /3

INVENTOR. 3 Nsxom VAN Pein Patented Sept. 7, 1954 fri-:D fis.,1r @as @Para SEPARABIJE SNAF'FSTENER Nixon Marr Peene-Mamiallagaassignomto Nelszf.E. '=Nelson,u Miamile-Ela.

"This invention "relates to' improvements in fastener devices and hasV particular reference kto quick acting and powerful'fastener` for V-usein `lde'si-rd; may 'be '-secured' tofvariousfpar-ts ofthe nlletlchabk" hOldilg chairs" and seats, SuchL for c aircraft astieedownlv -fastenersfior cargol or may `*instance as ameans for securelyreten-ng air-a5ibewreadi1ysecuredtofwalls orfother-placesf-where plane Vseats `in positionfragainstshifting, airplane a 1 quickJ acting and readily rfeleasableffastener; .is and'othercargo tie-downs'and many other' uses lfdsired. "1f-The@fastener-embodies -ahousingof "where -a quick Vacting and readily releasable A1\laminatedform;comprisinguppeiand lower-nut kvfastener -is desired. frnetallic plates=of identical'lfshape andfsize,l indi The*invention4 contemplates argenerallyl.im-3110"'oatediloyl the numerals ardl andianclntermeproved fastener device of quick acting and'pos- 274diatefplate 8'-fofidenticale-area1 tolthenplatesi-G tiveconstructicn embodying a' housing of stamped i"and" l. fTBheseveral platesl at'assernbly areffpref- Llaminations` thathouses a-pairof spring pressed wer'ably: 'rivetedftogethen'fbyfrivets 9;' asf-'shown lclamping jaws'v `that v are actuable through an y*Ther-plates vandl 'l areffstampdI-to provide opening formed in certain `vof- 1the xlarninations l `tch-:151l`arelatively.Engeland centrally "disposedV cylindrireceive and securely grip a headed'studlinserted fcal opening 'T10-and llifthat areaiziallylandfconthrough the openings to engage the stud'against 'flcentrically arranged-arid smallercylindrical openaccidental withdrawal through-1 substantially -f an ifingslf I 2and"f! 3, -lalso^ concentric' -andf axially ararclof360 degrees, thedev-ice further embodying L rangdrfandfldisposedadjacent onecorneroff'the emea-nsfto-vquickly andAeasily'ldisengage'thejawsJ-Qovhousing.@The openings ldandfl I--are adapted from the stud for withdrawal when desired. if to -be :traversed-by a headed-*stud '1I 4,# grooved at -flAnximportant objectI of the` invention resides S2115'- for-thereceptionlof' a pairofclampingljaws, miin'lthe extremely simple and compactconstruc- -l-toibe`=desc`ribed-"P'Phestdlllfislnormallyixdly gtionof the device Athat .adapts-it forfuse as'loor rffattach'ed to'fthetlowerfendsloffthe 1egs=of -chairs, Vvfasteners for the legs offaircraft seats eoricargo-.l vZeitscats lorthe"like*forcuponithe;eiidsof -a Jcable tie-downs Wall brackets'or' the-like,- has few and eonfotheriffasteningr'device employed 1in-cargo;l 'tiesimple parts of a nature requiring-aiminimum "idowns IIIfhe 1fstiid1'=l4 4"-has'vafdiameter vsligl'itly 'of'.attention,is strong, durable,cheap to; manusmaller than the diameterioiltheiopeningsil lll-and lia'cture and. is highly ecientinuse. '2 lI l. "Theopeningslandllserve as-'sight open- 'Other *important objects andr advantagesV off ther'. .oliings-"to determine theep'osition-'Y'ofll theiclamping *invention `will be `readily*apparent vduring "the .S'J'aws,tobedescribed-aridfurthery asaccess-opencourse Eof the :following ydescription,y reference :ings-fortheinsertion of asuitable tool? fforflthe i' being had to the.accompanyingdrawings, wherefreleaseiof:the'clarnpingijaws.fE'ach oil the l'plates .liin has been illustrated-a1preferreduformfoffthe; 6;' Tlfwand'8farefstampewais-'identicalpointstopro- `-device. and` wherein like'. characters of reference.,.35ffvide ra plurality Tof cylindricaband Aconcentric are employed todenote like parts' throughout, rlopeningsl 6 forthe -passagefffscrewsybolts; rivets In the drawings: v wor-*other fasteningdevices,"through the'medium Figure l is a perspective'viewlof-afastener-de- -fof'which `the`1housing1is securely mountedin posiviceconstructed 'in accordance w-ith the invenlibnlaieain'stdsplaement. `ation v,amd showing. a headed Studvnfor `en'geoge-m isLThe intermediateplate isstampedfto provide llinentf therewith,

l Figure 2 is a top plan View of the` fastener,

lEigure 3J is a diagonal vertical sectionalf-View, @taken online: 3-v-3 `of Figure. 2, v

:Figurel is asimilar view, takenfon dineV 4-1-4-5 .foffFiguretZJ Figure 5i is a horizontallsectionfttaken:Online i5-L5 of Figure 3,

.-fligurel 6 is4 a fragmentary-Y-verticalesection. i. through! the. devicev showing the Lheaded= studin ."'clarnped' position,` Vand Figure 'Isis ahorizontalsection-takenfonf line 1 11, of. 'Figure' 6, :ing form-edz sumciently'large-"the chamber A`ReferringrspecilcallyfKto thedrawingsthemu- :fill and*jawsil8"'could;be-*arranged*transversely fvme-rallrdenotes thefastenerdevce as a"wholeiffrion*affcenteiline. The'""ch'aii1ber` Il provides op- :ea: chamber lvforzthe shifltable receptionof apair of id'entca'latzmetalliczclamping jaws-18. .The .platess 6:, andy 1" form.. the guppeifand `lower .wallsof lpthe; chamber? lli andlstheejawsishave; afrthckness 45ffs1ightlyxless :.than; the thickness offs kthe `plate 8 mtofpenmitishiftingzmovenientin:the chamber.` The 1 'housingrhasa beens'z'shownoas' beinglsubstantially square in top planand the.: chamber Hand Ljaws "Isl Bvfhaveibeen arranged diagonally-lof ltherhous- 50i-lingmivlhichsarrangementpermitsvof-a maximum .ltsizeof clamping#jawaaridcchamber l l 'I fwith a 'whousing fofiminimum" size. Obviously; Vif thehousn positely arranged spring sockets I9, for the seating reception of any desirable type of leaf springI I9'. The chamber further is provided with a tapered socket 20, rounded at its apex. Opposite to the tapered socket 2G, the chamber is extended at 2I, upon opposite sides of the openings I2 and I3 and provides adequate clearance for the shifting movement of the jaws IS. lA stop and aligning lug bisects theopenings I2 and I3, shown at 22, for a purpose to be described.

As before stated, the clamping jaws I8 are identical in shape and size and embody arcuate body portions 23, tapered fulcrum legs 24 extending from the body 23 and arms 25, extending from the opposite sides of the jaws and normally overlying the openings I2 and I3 when in clamping position. Each jaw I8 has one straight side 26 that is in normal parallel and contacting rela-` tionship with its companion jaw. The body portions of the jaws IS are arcuately cut away at 21, upon an arc calculated to register with the openings I and II when the jaws are shifted to release position. With the jaws in the clamping position and with the straight sides in contacting relation, the arcuate openings jointly provide an,

oval opening 28, see particularly Figure 2. The fulcrum legs 24 are rounded at their terminal ends and jointly fulcrum in the rounded end of the socket 2e and maintain the relative positions of the openings I0 and II and the arcuate openings 2'I. The springs bear jointly between the ends of the sockets I9 and the body portions of the jaws 23. Thus, the jaws I8 are spring loaded at all times toward a clamping position. The arms 25 are cut away at 28 and their terminal ends normally bear against the stop lug E The stop lug 22 assures that the straight sides of the jaws will be prevented from shifting beyond the diagonal center line of the openings Ill and II and I2 and I3. The cut-away 29 further provides a slot 30, see Figure 2, when the jaws are in normal contacting or clamping position and permits the insertion of a screw driver or other tool into the slot Sil and by twisting, shifts the jaws to release position, shown in Figure 5. Since the slot 30 bisects the opening I2 on the diagonal center line, it provides a visual indication of the clamping position of the jaws.

In the use of the device, the fastener having been firmly secured to a floor or other place of use by screws or the like, an article of furniture, such for instance, the seat structures of aircraft having the headed studs fixed upon the ends of the legs, is positioned over the fasteners, with the studs in registery with the openings Iii. Downward pressure on the seat structure will cause the stud to force the jaws I3 apart until the groove I5 registers with the jaws, at which time the jaws will snap inwardly to seating engagement within the groove I5 under the influence of the springs I9. In the full clamping position, the straight edges of the jaws IS will be in contact and the arms 25 in abutting engagement with the lug 22. The jaws are thus compelled to exert an equal clamping engagement in the groove I5 of the stud clamped position, this being determined by the slot 30 formed by the arms 25. When it is desiredv After the k to remove the seats, the operator inserts a screw driver or suitable key device into the slot 30 and turns it one-quarter turn, forcing the arms 25 apart and shifting the body of the jaws I8 outwardly against the tension of the springs I9' to the position shown in full lines in Figure 5. The stud I4 may then be withdrawn and the key or screw driver removed, permitting the jaws to again assume their normal contacting relation. As cargo tie-downs, the fastener devices may be positioned in any desirable place in the aircraft, the operation thereof being identical in each instance. With the spring loaded jaws, withdrawal of the stud is prevented under all normal pressures and most abnormal pressures.

It will be apparent from the foregoing, that a. very simple and highly efcient fastener device has been provided that `will adapt itself to many uses. The parts may be readily stamped from suitable metal plates and assembled with a minimum of effort. The jaws I8 are fulcrumed in a manner to avoid pivotal pins or the like and will be self aligning at all times to insure of a perfect 360 degree clamping action upon the well known grooved stud. The upper and lower plates IS and 'I may be made of identical thickness whereby the fastener may be used from either side with equal effect. The assembly of the device requires no mechanical actions other than the rivets which maintain the laminations together.

It is to be understood, that while a preferred form of the fastener has been shown, various changes may be resorted to as reasonably fall within the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A reversible type fastener device of the character described for clamping engagement with a stud having a circumferential groove, the fastener comprising a housing `formed of a plurality of flat laminations riveted together, the housing provided with a centrally positioned stud receiving opening entirely therethrough and a spaced apart sight and release opening, one of the laminations cut away to provide a chamber, a pair of floating spring loaded clamping jaws shiftably mounted in the chamber in opposed relation to partially underlie the stud receiving opening, companion ends of the jaws being tapered to fulcrum in a tapered socket formed by the chamber, the opposite companion ends of the jaws underlying the release opening, the last named ends being cut away to jointly provide a key slot for the reception of a key to spread the ends apart to release a stud clamped in the central opening.

2. A reversible type fastener device of the character described for detachable clamping engagement with a stud having a circumferential groove, the fastener comprising a housing formed of a plurality of fiat metallic laminations riveted together, the housing provided with a centrally arranged stud receiving opening entirely therethrough and a spaced apart sight and release opening, the several laminations being stamped and provided with a plurality of openings for the reception of attaching screws, an intermediate lamination being stamped to provide a relatively shallow flat chamber, flat identical clamping jaws shiftably and floatably mounted in the chamber in opposed relation, springs engaging each of the jaws to shift them together, the jaws partially extending into the stud receiving opening and lying within the path of movement of a stud inserted through the opening from either side of the hous.. ing, one companion end of each jaw being tapered and rounded to have a floating fulcrum engagement in a tapered socket formed in the chamber, the jaws shiftable toward and from each other on the fulcrum ends, the opposite companion ends of the jaws underlying the sight and release opening, the last named ends being cut away to jointly provide a key slot that bisects the sight and release opening, stop means for limiting the shifting of the jaws under the action of the springs to accurately position the jaws with respect to the stud receiving opening, the jaws being shiftable apart against the tension of the springs by the insertion of a stud through the stud receiving opening.

3. A reversible type fastening device of the character described for clamping engagement with an inserted stud having a grooved head, the device embodying a housing that consists of upper and lower and an intermediate nat metallic laminations riveted together, the upper and lower laniinations being provided with concentric and centrally arranged stud receiving openings and concentric spaced apart sight and release openings, the intermediate lamination being stamped to form a relatively shallow flat chamber for the reception of stud clamping mechanism, the chamber providing oppositely disposed spring sockets and a tapered fulcrum socket, a pair of at and identical clamping jaws floatably disposed in the chamber in partial bisecting relation to the stud receiving openings, the jaws being in opposed relation and independently spring pressed toward each other, opposed edges of the jaws being arcuately cut away to jointly form an eccentric opening with respect to the stud receiving opening, each of the jaws provided with a companion leg that has fulcrum engagement in the fulcrum socket, oppositely extending and companion arms formed on the jaws that underlie the sight and release opening, the opposed edge of the arms being cut away to jointly provide a key slot that bisects the sight and release opening and a stop shoulder formed by the intermediate lamii nation to limit the shifting movement of the jaws under the action of their respective springs.

4. A reversible quick acting fastener that is square in top plan and consists of a housing formed of top, bottom and an intermediate lamination stamped from sheet metal and with the laminations riveted together adjacent their corners, the top and bottom laminations provided with centrally disposed and concentric stud receiving openings and spaced apart concentric sight and release openings, the sight openings being disposed on a diagonal center line of the housing, the several laminations being provided with equidistantly spaced and concentric openings for the reception of screw fastening devices, the intermediate lamination being cut away to provide an operating chamber having a pair of oppositely disposed spring sockets, a tapered fulcrum socket and a socket for the shiftable reception of clamping jaw arms, the top and bottom walls of the chamber being formed by the outer laminations and with the walls being flat and parallel, a pair of identical fiat clamping jaws shiftable and floatably supported in the chamber, the jaws being separately spring loaded for movement toward each other to abutting relation, the abutting edges of the jaws being straight with each straight edge identically cut away on an arc to jointly provide an oval opening that underlies the stud receiving opening, the jaws provided with identical tapered legs that have fulcrum engagement jointly in the fulcrum socket, the jaws provided with identical oppositely extending arms that underlie the sight and release opening, the opposed edges of the arms cut away to jointly provide a key slot for the reception of a key to spread the arms and jaws apart to release a stud that is held in clamping engagement in the stud receiving opening, stop means carried by the intermediate lamination to limit the shifting movement of the jaws under the action of their respective springs, the clamping jaws being arranged on the diagonal center line of the stud and sight opening.

5. The structure as recited in claim 3, wherein the end of the fulcrum socket is rounded for the reception of rounded corners formed on the terminal ends of the fulcrum legs, the arcuate cut-outs of the jaws being on the same arc as the stud receiving opening whereby the arcuate cut-outs of the jaws will lie in concentric registry with the stud receiving opening when the jaws are shifted apart by being traversed by a stud.

6. A reversible fastener device in the form of a flat square housing comprising an inner lamination and outer companion laminations rigidly connected upon opposite sides of the inner lamination in face to face abutting relation, the outer laminations being identically centrally and concentrically apertured, the outer laminations being further apertured concentrically and at a point outwardly of the iirst named apertures and diagonally of the square housing, the inner lamination being cut away to form a relatively shallow nat chamber having fiat parallel top and bottom walls formed by the outer laminations, a pair of flat spring loaded jaws shiftably mounted in the chamber in opposed relation, the jaws being floatingly fulcrumed in the chamber with each jaw being positively stopped against shifting past a diagonal center line of the fastener, an individual compression spring for each of the jaws, the jaws cut away on their opposed edges to jointly form a cylindrical stud receiving opening, the jaws in normal abutting relation simultaneously partially underlying the centrally arranged apertures and in the path of a headed stud to be inserted through the openings for snapping and interlocking engagement with the jaws, the fastener being identical in shape and size upon either side, the jaws extending beneath the second named openings with their opposed ends slightly separated to form a key opening that bisects the second named openings and is visible therethrough, the several laminations provided with spaced apart concentric openings for the passage of mounting devices.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 182,861 Schnopp Oct. 3, 1876 1,326,543 Stenman Dec. 30, 1919 1,853,025 Anderson Apr. 12, 1932 2,420,060 Adams May 6, 1947 2,464,414 Pensabene Mar. 15, 1949 

